Paint tube squeezer



1959 w; D. KIRKPATRICK ETAL 2,874,525 PAINT TUBE SQUEEZER Filed May 3,1956 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM D. KIRKPATRICK BY ARTHUR L. NEWMAN %41,%//W V ATTORNEYS PAINTTUBE SQUEEZER Application May 3, 1956, Serial No. 582,548

6 Claims. c1. 53-268) This invention relates to a paint tube squeezer'for squeezing paint from collapsible tubes.

In the marketing of paint at the present time certain basic paints areprovided in cans with which paint pigments (in oil or other medium) ofdifferent colors are mixed in predetermined amounts to produce the exactcolor and shade or tint thereof desired by the purchaser. These pigmentsare provided in conventional collapsible walled tubes, except that theend of the tube to be opened is adapted to be cut from the tube so thereis no restricted opening through which the pigment or paint must besqueezed in order to employ the tube. These tubes are not intended to bemerely partially emptied and then closed. Once opened the entirecontents thereof is ejected into the basic paint.

After the pigment in one or more tubes is ejected into the basic paintthat is in the can, the lid is replaced onthe can and the latter isplaced in a shaking device to thoroughly distribute the pigment in thebasic-paint.

The above operations are performed by the retail paint distributor whenthe customer has decided upon the color of. the paint wanted.

Heretofore the above operations have been performed manually by theretailer, with the result that his hands, clothing and other objectstouched by him many times become smeared with paint, and in any event,time must be taken out to clean the paint from his hands.

Efforts to overcome the above objections have usually taken the form ofpositively driven rollers in complicated and expensive equipment, or inthe form of stationary rollers and means'for moving the tube relative tothe rollers, or in means for winding the tube on itself. These UnitedStates Patent Other objects and advantages will appear in the de'scription and in the drawings.

with a part thereof broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the means for releasablyholding the tube squeezing rollers together with said means in positionreleasing the rollers for movement away from the tube and from eachother.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the portion-shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a slightly different arrangement of theoperating handle than is'shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary part sectional view illustrating the can closingmeans adapted to be used on the device of Fig. 1 or Fig. 5, and Fig. 7is a modified form of tube clamp.

In detail, referring to Fig. 1 the device illustrated comprises a fiatbase 1 adapted to support acan 2 of a paint mixture thereon. Secured tosaid base at one side of the portion adapted to be occupied by the can 2is a vertical various forms have not been acceptable to the trade be- 6cause they are either too complicated and slow in opera tion or are tooexpensive or too uncertain in operation or the devices themselves becomepaint smeared in the operation and cannot readily be cleaned, or acombination of different of these objections.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of simple,rugged, dependable, economically made means for efliciently and quicklysqueezing paint from collapsible walled tubes into the paint can toreceive such paint, and which device frees the operator from the hazardof getting paint on his hands, clothing etc.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple means adaptedto squeeze paint from a collapsible walled tube directly into the paintcancontaining the basic paint mixture and which device is also adaptedtore-seal the top of the paint can without removal of the can from itsposition, and-which means includes a provision for protecting theoperator against the possibility of paint that may be in the groove ofthe lid from spurting out to soilhis hands or clothing.

:A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simpleand eliicient device for squeezing paint pigment from collapsible walledtubes intov a paint can, and which device is arranged to occupy smallspace in a shop.

therewith, and said arm 18 is above the extension 5- post 3, which postextends upwardly from said base.

Carried on said post for vertical reciprocation is a relatively longbearing member 4, which bearing member has a lateral extension 5 rigidtherewith and projecting over the portion of the base 1 on which the can2 is positioned, and over a can that is on said portion.

On the other end of the extension 5 is a pair of horizontal rollers 6, 7(Fig. 4).

The extension 5, as illustrated in Fig. 4, comprises a pair of arms 8, 9having their outer ends'in spaced opposed relation, and the roller 6,which is nearest to the post 3, may be journallcd at one end thereof forrotation in the outer end of arm 8, while a hinged extension 10 at saidouter end may rotatably support the' corresponding end of roller 7.Thus, assuming the other ends of the rollers were free, the roller 7could swing away from the roller 8 about the axis of the hinge pin 11'that connects the extension 10 with the end of arm 8. 'The other end ofroller 6 (remote from arm 8) is rotatably held in the outer end of thearm 9, and the end of roller 7 that is remote from the extension 10 'isrotatable in a horizontal slot 12 (Fig. 3) that opens outwardly of theouter end of arm 9.

Rotatably supported on the outer end of the roller 7 that projectsoutwardly of the arm 9 is one end of an elongated handle 13. This handleis elongated and when the roller 7 is alongside roller 6 andsubstantially in enroller 7 against swinging away from roller 6.However,

in order to swing roller 7 away from roller 6, it is merely necessary tolift the handle 13 until the recess 14 'in the handle 13 is free fromthe end 15 of roller 6.

Above the member 4 is a sleeve 17, also reciprocable, and rotatable onpost 3, said post preferably being cylindrical, and member 4 and sleeve17 also being cylindrical.

This sleeve 17 has a laterally projecting arm 18 rigid (directly andcentrally over the space between arms 6, 7 of extension 5). The outerend of arm 18 carries a clamping means that may be' in the form of arigid downwardly projecting jaw 19 integral with the outer end of arm 18(Fig. 2). rected clamping surface 20 directed toward the post 3, andspaced above said surface may be a pair of spaced opposed cars 21projecting toward said post, and between which an upward extension 22 ona clamping jaw 23 is Patented Feb. 24,1359 I Said jaw has a laterallydinausea P vot qat s t. ..P i 1. tetnp. ti. .tessni n n. t e...

upper'end of said extension, A screw 25 threadedly extends through thejaw 19 above the clamping surface ztl the reof and into engagementwith-the upper endof the extension 22 of jaw 19, Thisscrew-may have aknurled head 26 at its end outwardly of jaw 19 'for man al aetuatinatescr wl Y e amping sse ni wfilt a s t e mp ng u t 20 of jaw 19. The jaw23 will swing by gravity away-from H the ens ri vr nr vcrsero ion. ttscrew 25.

This amp ns me 332 1 i r s s e r p-v ping the flatyzzlosed end 27-of-;aconventionaljubeiti of;

Paint P i v ent.. l be. dependin om said jaws.

' s ofi ar smemb r 4 opppsit zmension;

a s 3 a tmsslv w sve .17:-a ov .:t g P iw e rs 29+ 7 its elongatedhandleprel m-31 extends anone of itsends; between ears Bu -for pivotalconnection with ,said

eafs by means of :pivot 32 and'aalink 33 similarly ex.

tends between ears 29 and is pivotally connected, at one 1 end theretoby pivot 34. The opposite end of link 33 is I pivotally connected at 35to the arm 31 ata point intermediate the ends of said arm,

The sleeve 17 is connected with post 3 against rota-.

tion by any suitablemeans. One such means may be. a pin 36 thatextendsthrough; the post 3 and intoa laterally offset upper end 37 of avertically extending slot,38 that maybe formed in one or opposite sidesof. said sleeve.

Upon elevating sleeve 17 slightly and giving it a fractional turn theends of pins 36will be at the upper end ofslot 38 and the sleeve canthen be moved upwardly until the ends of the pin meat the lower end ofslot 38 The lower-endof slot,;38 is offset laterally at 40, with aslight downwardly opening recess in the upper side of the ofiset -sothatslight rotation of the sleeve will cause the ends of -pin 36 toenter the offset 40, and

thesleeve will then drop slightly by gravity sothe ends of thepin willbe in the downwardly opening recess in the .upper side of the offset,40This adjustment isto enable elevating theclarnping means onarm 18- toeither. accommodate longer tubes or to enable a larger can 2 tobe-placed below the clamping means, or both.. The bearing ,rnernber-4will follow-the sleeve -17 since a spring 41 connects-arm.31 withtheupper end of the sleeve-17 for -yieldably holding the member-4 againstsaid sleeve 4 and to return thegmember r4 afterna downward move-r.

mentof arm 31.

Adjustably secured on-post 3 below the member .4

may; be .a collar .42.- A Ithumb screw 43 may extend through the collarfor securing thecollar to said post in adjustedtposition ,vertically onsaid post. This collar limits the downward movement of the member 4, andconsequently the downward movement of the rollers 6,

7. Post 3 may be graduated at 44 to provide visual means for setting thecollar for different conditions, if so desired.

In operation, the operator may first remove the'cover from the can 2 ofthepaint mixture, which can is positioned on base 1.

Thedesired tube of pigment is then selected and its s dtis eemed-Ar saei of t amp n mber. .5" il s-3 s; .7 ng. f t s u a y f m. roller- 6 sothe tube will depend past roller 6. I

The roller 7 is then swung back and locked to roller 6 bythe latchhllpWhen inthis position the rollersifi,

7 are closeto the clarnping jaws 19, 23 so no objectionable pressurewill be placedon the paint merely by lock:

ing the'rollers together; and the rollers. are relatively.

in diameter so 'they will. engage the tube .very o the clamping jaws ofthe tube gripping means,

The closure at the lower end of thc tube that depends? from the clampingmeans and from the rollers is then cut.

or? so the lower end of the tube will be fully open.

Collar 42 has previously been locked in position to limit the downwardtravel of the rollers to the lower end of the tube, but not past saidlower end, so that no paint pigment will be deposited on the rollers.

The handle or arm 31 is then swung downwardly and the sides of the tubewill be progressively. forced flat together as the pigment is ejectedfrom the tube directly into the can 2. When the lower end'of the strokeof the arm 31 is reached, all of the paint in the tube will have beensqueezed from said tube and deposited in the can,

and a release of armfil will'result in the bearing member and rollersmoving back to the upper end of their stroke. The latch-"13 is swungopen and roller 7 swung away from roller 6 and upon loosening screw 25the clamping means on the tube is released and the empty tube removed-t.

The lower end of:,the, bearing memberv 4 may, if'de.

sired;;-:,be provided;with1.collars:-45; 46 (Fig.6). betweenwhich-thebearing'member 47at. one end of a laterally projecting arm 48isrotatablylheld: The outer end of said arm 48 hasa presser plate 49thereona Plate149 is greaterin diameterv than the canlidandthasvantannular'i flange 50 depending from its circular edge.

paint that might have entered the. annularchannel in the upper -end,;.Of;the;...can willzbe .preventedfrom. spurting onto the,operator, -.bygtheflange 50; Thus :the .can lid can be removed,.,the:paintpigmentsqueezedinto the can-1:-

and the lid re-seated .by the present device without touching the can.

In cramped quarters it has been found desirableinm some instances .toprovide ;a tub. squeezer intwhichv the handle 31 projects to the. sideof thedeviceat which the. ppcratorstandsxand. Fig. .5 showssuchmaniarrange-z g ment, thehandle beingdesignated 52. lThisthandletextends at anangle; to :the plane inwhich the rpostandnrollers-and tube grippingmeans .are positioned. Thus the; device,can; .be; placed near. or .evennsubstantially. I

againsta .wallzthatwould otherwise :interfere with the operationofh'andle 52.. t

It is-.to.,be understood: that the detailed description-is not :to beconsidered: as restrictive: of the scope of the invention,-,-but merelyillustrative :of one-form thereof, 7: forexample,asseen-inFig. 7, amodified formof :tube clamp maybe :used,.in whichvthe jaw similar-.10.jawv ,.1 s, rigidwith theupper. arm .18 that is carried: by. v

a post. A movable jaw 56 :is pivoted at.its upperzend to the outer, end;oftarm 18 as :at 57, andya projectionzr58 secured at one ,end, .to jaw,56.ext ends through the jaw. 55;: to project fromqtheside of jaw 55 thatis opposite. to jaw- 56.; This;projecting end 62 is pivotally. securedat 63 to a cam clamp ;59, which clamp :has a handle 'projecting.upwardly therefromwhen, the. 'low side of the cam .en-.,

gages; jaw 55 and when the tube gripping lower ends of the jaw are; openas seen in Fig, 7. A spring filinter-r. posed between jaws55,1 56 andaround theprojection-r:

58 jyieldab1y.holds thcuiaw 56'-ope1 1.and the. handle 60in its upwardlyextending position,

Uponrmoving handle, -60 downwardly, the high, side 1;:

of; cam 59 willdraw jaw 56 to closed position and compressgspring 61; so;that the; closed end. of a tube disposed between the lower endsy'ofjhe;jawswillbetightly {grippedbetween ,said ends .until the handle isswungnpwardly; and, when the, handle. is so swung the jaw; 56; will.automatically open.

W laims"; 1. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tubethat is closedat one end and -open at-its opposite end comprising: ahorizontal base having a portion thereof adapted to support a can ofpaint thereon, a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base atone side of said portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at apoint spaced substantially above said base and extending over saidportion, tube gripping means carried by said arm at its outer end andover said portion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elementsone movable relative to and toward the other for releasably grippingsaid closed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube dependingfreely therefrom,

a member below said arm supported on said post for vertical reciprocablemovement, said member including an extension.projectinglaterallyfrom-said post and positioned below'said armi'a pair of horizontalopposed rollers carried-by-the outer-end of said extension directlybelow said gripping means, roller mounting means supporting said rollerson said extension for movement of one relative to the other and towardeach other into tight -said rollers on said extension for movement ofone rela engaging relation to opposite sides of a tube adapted to beheld at its closed end by said gripping means and at a point adjoiningsaid closed end, means connected with said member for moving the latter,including said rollers, downwardly when said rollers are in said tightgripping relation to said tube whereby paint in such tube will besqueezed therefrom and into a container adapted to be positioned on saidbase.

2. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising: a horizontalbase having a portion thereof adapted to support a can of paint thereon,a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base at one side ofsaid portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at a point spacedsubstantially above said base and extending over said portion, tubegripping means carried by said arm at its outer end and over saidportion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elements onemovable relative to and toward the other for releasably gripping saidclosed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube dependingtherefrom, a member below said arm supported on said post for verticalreciprocable movement, said member including an extension projectinglaterally from said post and positioned below said arm, a pair ofhorizontal opposed rollers carried by the outer end of said extensiondirectly below said gripping means, roller mounting means supportingsaid rollers on said extension for movement of one relative to the otherand toward each other into tight engaging relation to opposite sides ofa tube adapted to be held at its closed end by said gripping means andat a point adjoining said closed end, means connected with said memberfor moving the latter, including said rollers, downwardly when saidrollers are in said tight gripping relation to said tube whereby paintin such tube will be squeezed therefrom and into a container adapted tobe positioned on said base, and lid closing means carried by said memberand movable to and from a position over said portion and over a cansupported on the latter for downward movement therewith for urging a canlid on said can to closed position after paint from such tube has beendischarged into the latter, said lid closing means being below saidextension.

3. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube that isclosed at one end and open at its opposite end comprising: a horizontalbase having a portion thereof adapted to support a can of paint thereon,a vertical post secured at its lower end to said base at one side ofsaid portion, an arm secured at one end to said post at a point spacedsubstantially above said base and extending over said portion, tubegripping means carried by said arm at its outer end and over saidportion, said tube gripping means including a pair of elements onemovable relative to and toward the other for releasably gripping saidclosed end of such tube with the remainder of such tube dependingtherefrom, a member tive to the other and toward each other into tightengaging relation to opposite sides of a tube adapted to be held at itsclosed end by said gripping means and at a point adjoining said closedend, means connected with said member for moving the latter, includingsaid rollers, downwardly when said rollers are in said tight grippingrelation to said tube whereby paint in such tube will be squeezedtherefrom and into a container adapted to be positioned on said base,means connected with said tube gripping elements for positively butreleasably holding them in gripping relation with said closed 'end ofsaid tube, and means connected with said rollers for positively. butreleasably holding them 'in position urging said op} posite sides .ofsaid tube in engaging relation, said means for moving said memberdownwardly comprising an elon gated handle pivotally connected at oneend thereof to said one end of said arm and a link pivotally connectedat one end thereof to said handle and pivotally connected at itsopposite end to said member.

4. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube crimpedtogether at one end to form a fiat sided closure and open at itsopposite end comprising, a pair of tube gripping jaws connected forpositive movement toward each other into engagement with opposite sidesof said closure and means connected with said jaws supporting. themspaced above a supporting surface for positioning a can below said tubewith the latter depending from said jaws, a pair of rollers, rollermounting means supporting said rollers below said jaws and closelyadjacent thereto for movement into tight engagement with said closure,means supporting said roller mounting means for downward movement awayfrom said jaws when said rollers are in said engagement with said tubefor squeezing the sides of said tube together to eject the contentsthereof from its lower end, and stop means engageable with said rollermounting means during its downward movement for limiting the latter,said stop means being movable to different levels for varying the degreeof downward movement of said roller mounting means and means for lockingsaid stop means stationary in its different adjusted positions, andmeans connected with said roller mounting means for causing saiddownward movement thereof.

5. A device for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube crimpedtogether at one end to form a flat sided closure and open at itsopposite end comprising, a pair of tube gripping jaws connected forpositive move ment toward each other into engagement with opposite sidesof said closure and means connected with said jaws supporting themspaced above a supporting surface for positioning a can below said tubewith the latter depending from said jaws, a pair of rollers, rollermounting means supporting said rollers below said jaws and closelyadjacent thereto for movement into tight engagement with said closure,means supporting said roller mounting means for downward movement awayfrom said jaws when said rollers are in said engagement with said tubefor squeezing the sides of said tube together to eject the contentsthereof from its lower end, and stop means engageable with said rollermounting means during its downward movement for limiting the latter,said stop means being movable to different levels for varying the degreeof downward movement of said roller mounting means and means for lockingsaid stop means stationary in its different adjusted positions, andmeans connected with said roller mounting means for causing saiddownward movement thereof, said means for causing said downward movementthereof including a manually actuatable handle swingable downwardly forcausing said movement,

ajetaaea e" and the means supporting'said roller mounting means being a-vert'ica'1 post on which said last mentioned means is reciprocable;said means for supporting" said gripping jaws aboye said surface beingsaid posts.

' 6. A d evice for squeezing paint from a collapsible walled tube thatis closed at one end and that terminates in nine lower edge at, itsopposite end comprising; a post and a base carrying said post uprightthereon, a pair of horizontally opposed clamping jaws carried by saidpost in a position spaced from one side thereof for clamping the closedend of such tube with the remainder of said tube depending from saidjaws, a pair of horizontally spaced, opposed rollers carried by saidpost in positions respectively adjacent to each of said jaws, meanssupporting said jaws on said post for movement toward each other intosuch clamping engagement with the opposite'sides of said closed end andmeans supporting said rollers for movement toward each other into tubesqueezing relation'with such tube adjacent to its closed end when saidclosed end is clamped between said jaws, a lever one end of which isswingable about a stationary horizontal axis adjacent to said post and ahorizontal pivot carried by said post for so swinging said lever, meansconnecting said pair of rollers 'with'fsaid "lever for downward movementof said pair of rollers along such tube from said closed end to saidopen end in one downward stroke ofsaid lever when such tube is held bysaid jaws at its closed end and when said rollers are in squeezingengagement with said tube at a point immediately be low said jaws,yieldable means connected with said lever for yieldably supporting saidlever in a position adjacent to said jaws, and the space below saidjaws' and rollers being wholly unobstructed for downward movement ofsaid rollers to the said terminating lower end edges of such tube.

References Cited in the of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,587Cadalzo Apr. '10, 1951 2,550,537 Derrick Apr. 24, 1951 2,687,827McGilchrist et a1. Aug. 31, 1954 2,734,662 Shippen Feb. 14, 1956

